


Regret is best served cold

by rebelfornoreason



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Also I dont know where Gwen is, Also Lance is alive, And I dont want Arthur cheating, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Basically everyone doubts Merlin and then regrets it, Because he deserves better, But she isnt the queen, Gen, Hey! Gwen is with Lance, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, It may be by the end though, Its my first work be nice, Its not Merthur yet, Not Beta Read, SO no gwen, and so does Merlin, arthur lives, can be read as merlin/Arthur, its post seson 5, merlin is king of druids, merlin takes care of everyone but himself, merlin whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-01-04 16:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21200975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelfornoreason/pseuds/rebelfornoreason
Summary: Merlin being a self-sacrificial idiot who gets yelled at by Arthur and goes on a rescue mission himself.I rewrote it.





	Regret is best served cold

Merlin smiled nodding as a greeting to the young boys that passed by. He leaned against the tree, fond gaze drifting over the encampment watching the knights mingle with the druids, almost giddy from excitement at the sight of Arthur in the middle, armour nowhere to be seen completely defenceless, completely at ease.

Somehow a million battles, risking his life once every day seemingly endless arguments and several years later he had done it. Though officially they were there to discuss the legalization of magic and a permanent residence for the druids near the city, Merlin was pretty sure the knights thought of it as a vacation.

He watched children jump on Percival in an attempt to tackle him squealing about the evil giant that had climbed down from the sky to steal their beans, laughing when a few of them dragged him towards Percival “You must save us Emrys!”

Percival chuckled aware of the fact there wasn’t much he could do without potentially hurting the children climbing up him too. Merlin had never been one to back down from a challenge after all.

He walked towards them confidently lightly tapping each of the children before tying up his legs with magic in what he thought was an inconspicuous manner. Percival cocked his head to one side, lips twitching in a silent question making merlin shake his head in mock exasperation.

“You should know by now to not underestimate me.”

He gently pushed him making the children float as Percival fell back, Elyan and Gwaine cackling loudly in the background. He was surrounded almost immediately children demanding to fly, his smile widened heart squeezing at the absence of fear he had seen in their eyes so many times before.

So, he let himself indulge, making them form a line and tapping each one lightly to make them float met with the same delighted squeals each time. His eyes met Arthur’s amused ones and for a split second, he could feel himself freeze old fears and teachings coursing through him before he pushed them down.

“Didn’t know you could do that.”

He looked at the children making sure none of them flew too high or accidentally hurt themselves, leaning into Arthur when he threw an arm around him.

“There is still a lot you don’t know.”

His voice soft, as Arthur hummed in response “I will, it's just taking a while.”

He squeezed his shoulder one last time and moved towards Percival helping him up.

The sunset and the whole clearing basking in the glow of several fires spread throughout, sounds of laughter and conversation filling the place up as food was brought out.

Merlin sat down near Lance snatching the bowl out of his hands, grinning when he just sighed and grabbed another one. He laughed planning to grab the bottle out of Gwaine’s hand, a loud crashing causing him to fall over.

He turned around to see several hooded figures, each of them grabbing a druid each and pressing knives to their throats. A man came out, a mask covering half of his face an easy smirk playing on his lips.

“Now, now Great sorcerer Emrys let’s not be hasty, we won’t hurt anyone if we don’t have to. You just need to cooperate.”

There were too many of them, too close to the druids. He needed to find a way to get them away most of them didn’t know any combat magic and those who did were do scared to do anything.

“What do you want?”

“Well, you see a couple of years ago I found this old book at this temple after getting rid of the people there of course but it had a few interesting spells in it. One of them believe it or not was about strengthening your own magic. I’m plenty strong on my own but who doesn’t want more power?”

He moved around Merlin flipping a dagger in his hand “The only problem was it required the blood of a druid child and those were pretty hard to come by courtesy of your king of course.” He stopped right in front of Merlin a manic look in his eyes. “But now, now I have a chance to get what I want.”

Merlin watched the knights creep up behind the hooded figures steps away from catching them, he just needed to buy some time. “How many?”

The man clapped in a delighted manner “Twelve the younger the better, it can’t be nice sleeping with screaming children around you I’ll take them off your hand.”

Leon and Percival jumped, landing face down in the dirt instead of on top of the figures, Merlin being thrown against the trees with a burst of magic. The smile on his face widened becoming almost unnerving, disappearing from in front of him and appearing behind Arthur dagger planted firmly in his side.

“Decide now, you give me the children, or I twist the blade and make all of his insides spill out.”

Merlin could feel his heart pounding in his chest, gaze completely focused on the blood pouring out of Arthur.

_He could survive._

He looked around helplessly, eyes falling on the children cowering behind Percival before moving back to Arthur who was shaking his head.

“Don’t do it Me- “

Merlin flinched when he screamed, the dagger being twisted only slightly.

_Arthur could do it._

He watched Arthur succumb to the pain, becoming completely limp in the man’s hold.

_Arthur would be fine._

“Quickly Emrys your beloved King doesn’t have much time.”

He swallowed back the tears that were threatening to spill out, trying in vain to think of a plan.

“Last chance Emrys the king or the children.”

Merlin closed his eyes knowing what his answer was, too ashamed to look them in the eye.

“Arthur, I pick Arthur.”

The figures moved to grab the screaming children disappearing one by one, till only the masked man remained.

“Pleasure doing business.”

Merlin rushed forward to catch Arthur as he fell, putting pressure on the gaping wound in his side, spitting out orders to treat him.

“You’re gonna be fine. He’s gonna be okay.”

He didn’t know if he was trying to convince the people around him or himself.

The first thing Arthur predictably did after waking up was yell at Merlin. He moved about the tent gathering the things he needed, occasionally dodging the whatever Arthur grabbed to throw at him.

He sighed finally sitting down at the edge of the bed “I’ll fix it, you need to rest. The wound was pretty deep.”

Arthur scowled pushing the blanket draped over his legs to one side, standing up despite Merlin’s protests. “You can’t do anything.”

Arthur snatched his wrist out of his hold, turning to look at Merlin and running his hands over his face. “Being a king means looking out for your people no matter the cost. Not to mention how this could affect the negotiations. Fuck Merlin do you ever think, does anything get through that thick skull of yours.”

He looked at Merlin one last time before storming out of the tent. Merlin sighed grabbing the bag he had packed, stepping out of the tent and moving towards the forest without looking back.

_He would fix this._

_˚˘˚_

He followed the little ball of light keeping it close to him, in case anyone around to see it. They couldn’t have gone far their magic was strong but taking so many people with him must have taken a toll on him. As far as Merlin was concerned, they were still in the forest and he had to get them out before they had a chance to escape.

He winced, breath coming out shaky hand coming out to support what he refused to believe was a broken rib. The inklings of what was bound to be a fever slowly trickling in. The rescue was hard enough as it was without him getting sick.

Merlin ducked behind a tree an abandoned temple coming into view, he could see two figures on the outside intoxicated enough to not make a shred a sense. He knocked them out quietly, grabbing the clothes of one of them and taking both their weapons and slipping in the building unnoticed.

It took him a while to find the dungeons. The terrified wails of the children breaking his heart and making the guilt come back full force.

He waited for the guards to pass before going downstairs, trying to figure out how to get them all out without causing too much of a ruckus. Enchanted restrains on all of them and reinforced bars.

_Getting the keys would be easier and faster. _

He walked back up, keeping himself hidden in the shadows slowly making his way to the centre of the building. They were several sorcerers working on the incantation, eyes glowing detached from the world. The masked man leaning against one of the pillars, the manic smile still on his face, surrounded by protective spells.

He looked around spotting the firewood gathered to one side. He moved closer to the man, setting the wood on fire, startling him into letting his guard down, giving Merlin enough time to drive the arrow through his heart.

They didn’t scatter with their leader dead, attacking him with furiously. A fairly deep gash in his side and almost an hour later he was finally done. Snatching the keys of the dead body and heading back down with an arm around his torso.

The children screamed on seeing him, rushing forward to get closer. He calmed them down, opening the doors and the shackles, hissing as the cuffs burnt his fingers, smile still present on his face making sure the children didn’t panic.

By the time he took the twelfth cuff off, he could barely even feel the pain. 

˚˘˚

They had figured out Merlin was missing fairly quickly and even if Arthur had wanted to go after him immediately, they had no idea where he had gone, and the darkness meant they had no means to track him either.

So, they waited for the sun to rise, ready to set out at the first light, hearing the children before they could get on the horses. Laughing faces breaking through the tree line, rushing straight into the arms of their families.

They were fine, a bit scratched up and probably traumatized but mostly fine. Giggling and squealing about “Emrys coming to save them.”

His eyes drifted to Merlin, who looked about ten seconds away from falling over. Flushed with his arms wrapped around him, limping as he made his way to his tent, dazed and a bit out of it.

He looked up when Arthur stopped in front of him smiling weakly. “Fixed it.” And promptly falling forward into Arthurs's arms.

Gwaine and Lance panicked behind him, shouting for someone to look him over. Arthur slipped his hand over Merlin’s face brushing the hair out of his eyes, recoiling at the heat coming off his skin. He ran to his tent setting him down, taking a step back when several healers crowded his space.

He couldn’t move even when Gwaine tried to pull him out, too scared to let him out of his sight.

Merlin could die, he could lose his best friend.

His breath came out uneven as watched them uncover the cut in his side, yes following the blood-soaked shirt fall to the floor. One of the healers hissed gently moving his hand, taking off the rag he had tied around it to hide the rotting flesh.

Arthur stayed as they healed him, twitching every time Merlin whined in his sleep. The sun had set by the time they were done. He wanted to dismiss them and grab the cloth on merlin’s head to do it himself.

But this wasn’t his castle wasn’t his people, they were Merlin’s.

˚˘˚

Arthur rarely new when Merlin was sick, and Merlin liked to keep it that way. The handful of times he was sick enough for Arthur to know had been chaotic, to say the least. He liked staying by him when he was sleep, preferring to care for Merlin himself.

He didn’t remember much of it but the weight in his hand was achingly familiar. He sighed slowly opening his eyes wincing as his side hurt at the slightest of movements.

“Careful you haven’t had anything for the pain yet.”

He lets Arthur help him up, ignoring the gaze he can feel choosing to smile at Gwaine instead.

“Ah My Lord, have you finally decided to grace us with your presence.”

He hummed, shifting in place to make himself more comfortable, voice teasing when he answered. “Yeah. Got a bit bored of sleeping all day long.”

His eyes close when Gwaine presses his palm to his forehead leaning into the coolness “Yeah you’re not completely fine yet. But I made soup, Ill bring it for you. Eat some before you go back to sleep.”

He watches as Gwaine leaves, Arthur’s gaze still digging into him.

“Merlin.”

The word isn’t much louder than a whisper and Merlin doesn’t pay it any attention, closing his eyes and leaning back instead.

“Merlin.”

Arthur’s voice cracks and he can feel his heartbreak, squeezing his hand as much as he can to comfort him despite the anger roiling in his stomach.

He feels Arthur lean his head against his arm, taking in a shaky breath when he feels his bandages getting soaked.

They both flinch when Gwaine comes in, Arthur taking the bowl from his hands to feed the other with a scowl on his face.

Gwaine smiles, something bitter and cynical “Princess here doesn’t trust you Merls, but we do. Next time take me with alright?” 

“And babysit you while trying to save people? No thanks.”

He bursts out laughing ruffling his hair again, voice a lot lighter than it had been before “I’ll go get the others, show them that the court sorcerer of Camelot isn’t dead quite yet, yeah?”

He leaves, leaving them in a suffocating silence once again. He sees Arthur move his mouth out of the corner of his eye, but no words come out, the grip on his hand is still strong and his lips quirk up when he realizes the hold tightens if he tries to pull away.

He looks up smiling as the knights walk in, lance fussing over him almost immediately.

They each have their bowls in their hands the chaos that comes with all of them being together settling Merlin’s frayed nerves.

Arthur refuses to give him the spoon, preferring to feed him himself despite his insistence.

“The children are fine,” Lance says finally acknowledging the elephant in the room.

“I know.” He whispers, voice carrying over the silence with ease.

“You’re bloody not.”

He laughs at Gwaine’s sarcastic words “I know.”

Things go quiet once again, guilty eyes shifting to him every once in a while.

“You know I’m not angry.”

“You’re never angry Merls, I think that’s part of the problem.”

Arthur puts the bowl down speaking up “Sometimes I wish you were more like Morgana.”

Merlin raises an eyebrow shooting the king a deadpanned look “You wish I raised immortal armies to take the thrown and tried to kill you over and over again?”

“No, just that you would call me out on my stupidity every once in a while.”

“Is that official permission to call you a clot pole?”

He doesn’t even try to avoid the smack to the back of his head.

“Besides, now I know what it’s like to have six older brothers”

He enjoys the incredulous looks sent his way, opening his mouth for Arthur to feed him again.

“You’re an idiot Merlin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re wrote it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it!


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